RCS Measurements in a Compact Range

Authors: Jeff Fordham, Marion Baggett

Publication: (MPD) Microwave Product Digest

Copyright Owner: NSI-MI Technologies

The Radar Cross Section (RCS) of an object is defined as, “the area intercepting that amount of power which, when scattered isotropically, produces a return at the radar equal to that from the target.” In simpler terms, RCS is the projected area of a sphere that has the same radar return as the target. The unit of measure for an object’s RCS is “decibels per square meter,” or dBsm. The power received by a radar for a target indicates how well the radar can detect or track that target. For this reason, much research and effort has been put into reducing the “signature” of various aircraft, ships and other objects.